Kidnapped
by TurningANewPage
Summary: "My rage dulled a bit with the sudden, black humor. I could imagine how the girl would react to my kidnapping her. Of course, I rarely guessed her reactions right—but what other reaction could she have besides terror?" What if Edward actually ended up kidnapping Bella? Based off Midnight Sun. ExB, Canon
1. Kidnapped (Edward)

_My rage dulled a bit with the sudden, black humor. I could imagine how the girl would react to my kidnapping her. Of course, I rarely guessed her reactions right—but what other reaction could she have besides terror?_

_I wasn't sure how to manage that, though—kidnapping her. I wouldn't be able to stand being close to her for very long. Perhaps I would just deliver her back to her mother. Even that much would be fraught with danger. For her._

_And also for me, I realized suddenly. If I were to kill her by accident… I wasn't certain exactly how much pain that would cause me, but I knew it would be multifaceted and intense. _

I had never fought more than playfully with Emmett or Jasper—just horsing around. I felt sick at the thought of really trying to hurt Jasper…

No, not that. Just to block him. That was all.

I concentrated on Alice, memorizing Jasper's different venues of attack.

As I did that, her visions shifted, moving further and further away from the Swan's house. I was cutting him off earlier…

_Stop that, Edward! It can't happen this way. I won't let it. _

I didn't answer her, I just kept watching. As I watched, I saw the future shift and mold. Yes, I could see it now. I would not fight Jasper—instead, I would hide the girl. The thought of being alone with the girl filled me with simultaneous excitement and horror.

It was too dangerous. I could kill her! But what other option did I have?

None, I had none.

I knew Jasper. He would remain unmoved. He knew the consequences of flouting the rules, and I knew he would not allow—

"Edward," Alice gasped aloud.

I scanned her thoughts, and within the same millisecond, I had slammed the brakes. My body was moving on its own accord, now, my mind too busy reeling from what I'd seen.

No, I needed all the time I could get.

Alice would stall him, here, I could see that now. I did not see the forest as I ran; I saw what Alice saw. Jasper tracking us. The girl wide-eyed, scrunched on my back as I raced through the wilderness. And the one image I refused to see.

I roared with outrage. Alice's mind blurred as I reached the Swan residence. I felt my phone vibrate, and I crushed it in my hand. I hesitated a moment—the window or the door? An image of her skin cut on broken glass made the decision for me as I broke in through the front door.

I burst into her room, a murderous monster of the night. Instantly, the flames of her scent enveloped me, and I stopped breathing. My muscles wound tight, my mouth filled with thick poison, I wondered if I'd be strong enough to last even this second.

She shifted in her small bed, her covers barely hanging on, her sheets twisted around her legs.

"No."

I froze. She was breathing hard, turning her head back and forth. _Still asleep_.

No, Bella, I will be strong enough. God help me, I had to be. I need to protect you.

I can't lose you.

My entire body trembled as I inched toward her sleeping form. I knew that Alice could only stall Jasper for so long, yet I knew also that I was in very serious danger of losing myself—and the girl—in this very moment.

Still asleep, her head bobbed around to face me. Her brows furrowed, she seemed concerned.

_If only she knew._ There was plenty for her to be concerned about. Me, for instance.

"No," she breathed out again, and I took for encouragement. No matter how I would berate myself for this moment later, I had no options. Time had run out.

Bracing myself, I knelt by the girl's bedside. I placed one vise-like hand over her mouth, and I picked up her body with the other. Within seconds, we were gone.

Fleeing.

.

.

.

My strategy was simple: first, no breathing; second, run faster than you ever have; third, don't eat the girl.

The first two steps were the easy part. The third, well. Her heart so close to mine, the beat shook my entire body. Her face so close to mine, the breath nearly undid me every minute.

I didn't dare to look at her.

Oh God, what had I done? I could feel the tension in every inch of my body, a string so tightly wound that it was bound to break any second. I felt a flash of gratitude that that girl was still sound asleep.

Was that normal? Shouldn't humans awake at being touched—not to mention being touched by an inhumanly cold being and then face the freezing winds at a race through the trees? Yet she hadn't fought or made any move to resist…

My resolve broke, and I looked down at the girl. Unwittingly, my legs slowed. I could see it, the blood pulsing through her neck; it would have undone me were I not shocked by something far more exasperating.

The girl gazed at me, wide-eyed, with a faint smile on her lips.

Curiosity flared, overpowering self-disgust, and I longed to know what thoughts lurked behind those eyes. I couldn't help it; I smiled faintly back. I longed to speak with her, to ask her, but three harsh realities prevented it. First, she was surely a glance away from terror (and I didn't want to hurry into that portion); second, I was surely a temptation away from killing her (and I knew I would not be taking any breaths this hour); and third, Jasper was surely a moment away from catching us (and I would not know how to fight with her there).

So I smiled back and kept running.

.

.

.

About half an hour into our run, I realized that the girl was uncomfortable. A grimace clouded her expression, and she periodically wriggled her body in a way that unsettled me. Ordinarily, I would have ignored it—we were on the run for her life, after all—but I couldn't ignore it. No, her squirminess felt like fear, and I was running out of distractions. She was my prey, and I was the predator. My efforts at rescuing her were comical now, for my every instinct was reminding me that she would not survive the next three minutes. I laughed without humor, and I searched the rising sun for some semblance of hope or of willpower.

One of the perks of being a vampire is our unparalleled vision. For instance, I could gaze at the sun that was so many millions of miles away, and I could see the flames flicker and undulate on its surface. Tiny, imperceptible, but nonetheless existent. Because of those tiny flames, life on earth was sustained.

As a creature of the night, I did not need the sunlight in order to survive. In fact, the sun was only a threat to me and the others like me. It exposed us. Still, we needed the light for the simple reason that it kept our prey alive.

I glanced down once more at the prey breathing in my arms, and I ached. I wanted so badly to be the sun, not the predator. Although dangerous and destructive if she got too close, the sun gave her light and life and hope. I did not want to be stuck here, forced to take her life because of the idiotic constraints of a Darwinian existence. My grip on her arm tightened, and she gasped.

I glanced down and saw it. The blood that was always too close to the surface now swirled in a purplish hue beneath her wrist. I gulped.

"Edward," she whispered.

With what felt like herculean effort, I slowly drew my eyes from the blood in her wrist to her eyes, which were closed. Nonetheless, I could see the lashes which glistened with tears.

I'd hurt her.

My sprint slowed to a run, then a jog, then a halt. I kept my eyes focused on the little rivers flowing from her eyes. I kept my heart centered on the fractures they engraved in my heart. Everything in me shrank from the unbearable pain of knowledge—I was hurting her.

I bent to set the girl on her feet. What would she do now? Scream? Run? We were far enough in the wilderness that I knew she wouldn't attract attention. Still, I neither had the time nor the willpower to save her if she ran from me. Instead of rising again, I stayed down, crouched beneath her, unwilling to look her in the eyes.

I knew I looked pitiful to her. I _felt_ pitiful. I couldn't stand to be what I was, not when placed in direct contrast with this angel, and all that _she_ was.

"What the hell?"

But there wasn't a touch of anger; no, the girl was laughing. It started with a chuckle, but now she was laughing loudly up at the sky. She started to cough, too, and I shot up to inspect her. I was anxious—was this normal? She wouldn't choke, would she?

"Stop that," she twitted, waving at my hands (which I'd absentmindedly held out, as if to steady her).

I stared at her.

"I'm fine, really, just a little surprised. What brought this on?"

And she did sound fine. Why wasn't she going into shock? Was _I _going into shock? I still wasn't breathing, but I knew that if I were, they would be quick rapid gulps of it. _What brought this on?_ She asked as if I'd asked her to dinner, not _kidnapped her_.

My mind raced through a thousand possible responses in that moment. What brought this on? _Well, you see, I am murderous vampire who wants to kill you because you smell so good, and my brother, well, he's a murderous vampire who wants to kill you because you saw too much, and, ironically, I'm now a murderous vampire who wants to save you from being killed by both myself and my brother, and I'm not doing a great job at either one_.

No, I definitely wouldn't be answering her question. But I longed to confide in her, to have her trust me. With what was left of my breath, the words, "You're in danger from some people—" (myself included) "—and I need to keep you safe." Resisting the temptation to look at the injury, I looked up and added, "I'm sorry for hurting your wrist."

"Oh, that," she murmured, looking down at her wrist.

"Yes, that," I murmured back, equally transfixed by her wrist. I reached for it, stepping in.

It was the wrong decision. I could feel her heartbeat; it throbbed in her wrist and in the very air. I leaned in—

Bella drew in a jagged breath—_had she not been breathing?—_and I started. I stood a hundred feet away, my palms stinging from the loss of warmth. I wanted it inside me. The warmth. The blood. My whole body warmed and thrilled at the thought of it. I thought of her in my arms, her warmth streaming into every part of me as I took what I'd needed for so long.

I audibly choked at the thought. I felt like I was on fire. How was I supposed to protect her from anything in this state? I knew we needed to leave, and soon, but what could I do? Not killing her was killing me.

I needed to say something, tell her what I needed, but in order to do that, I would need to breathe.

Would she be safe here with me breathing around her? She was still a hundred feet away; I was well out of sight. _If I killed her now, she wouldn't even see it coming. She would feel no pain. _

No, I could not breathe now. My only two concerns in the world right now were her happiness and my pain. Suddenly, her death felt inevitable, like mitigating the pain of it was the only thing I could do for her. Surely it would only be right to kill her now before the fear set in. If I could not save her, perhaps I could do this much for her?

"It's okay, really," she called out.

I started. For a moment, I wondered if _she_ had read _my _mind.

I cocked my head at the strange girl and realized, no, she was referring to her bruised wrist. Though it felt like an eternity to me, it had only been seconds since I'd disappeared from her. I marveled at the thought of it—this frail human comforting _me_. Did she think I was afraid?

I laughed, realizing that I was, indeed, afraid. This tiny, insignificant human has become the focal point of my entire life, and _she terrified me_.

I could not breathe behind this tree; if I did, I would kill her. I could not hide from the girl any longer. I slowly stalked toward her, the walking guillotine. My mind was a flurry of panic. I could not bear to kill her, I knew. I worried I could not bear to breathe without killing her, either. I was about five feet away from her now.

I recalled the table in Biology class, shredded at the corners with the effort it took to not kill her then. I glanced around me, and then back at the girl. She stood frozen; my stance reflected in her eyes terrified me.

Not close enough.

I took two steps closer. She was three feet from me now. I could see her pulsing neck, her flushed face, and—my only hope—her wide eyes. Yes, it would be only her eyes that could save me now.

I held out one finger to the girl.

"Wait," I mouthed. "Don't be scared."

Eyes fixed on hers, I crouched down. Palms flat on the ground, I slowly began to breathe in.

Ah! The pain was excruciating. I could not close my eyes; I strained to keep them focused on the girl, but I felt them rolling to the back of my head. White-hot pain seared through me, and my hands sank into the earth beneath me.

I could see it there, now—fear. Her breath hitched, but she gazed back at me, unblinking. Her pulse thudded like a migraine that filled my head and set a thick film on the back of my tongue. All I could taste was her, but I could not taste enough of her.

I heard a rustle, and the thudding grew louder. My eyes snapped open—when had I allowed them to close?—and I saw the girl had stepped toward me. _Toward me_.

The monster in me thrilled with anticipation.

"No, Bella." It came out like a moan. I stared at her with wide eyes, wondering what she would do and what I would do.

After a moment, she raised her eyebrows and asked, "So someone wants to kill me, huh?"

So nonchalant! "Yes, but I won't let him."

"Why not?" Her incredulity! How could she doubt when my entire existence was now shaped around keeping her alive!

"I don't want you to die, Bella," I said through gritted teeth.

Something flashed in her eyes, but she quickly rearranged her expression to hide the thought.

"So what now, then?"

Here was the hard part. How do I explain that I wanted to save her but didn't have a way to do it? How could I reveal how difficult it was not to kill her without frightening her more?

I was afraid of touching her. I didn't think I could do it again. Her pulse was still thudding through me, threatening to lull me into her trance.

I closed my eyes, and listened. We were deep in the brush of the Oregon coast, and there were few thoughts for me to glean from. Oh! Except one. I found him now—a young man on a drive from visiting his parents. His car was old, not very fast, but it would have to do.

I opened my eyes. "Can you walk?" I asked her.

She nodded firmly, her fingers twitching.

Without saying anything, I turned around and began walking.

.

.

.

Bella was not good at walking. Her feet caught on every root, it seemed, and her hands were constantly outstretched, as if to catch herself. The forest was covered in thorns, and I was in constant terror of her skin getting pricked by one. If she bled even a drop, I knew that neither of us would have a chance.

I was jittery, on edge, because part of me wanted that to happen.

"Edward, can we talk about this?" she panted.

"What do you want to talk about?" Guarded.

"We're in the middle of nowhere! How long are you thinking of making us walk for? And why? It's not like someone could find us here in the middle of nowhere! Besides, who is putting us in danger? I'm a nobody! I'm sure it's fine. Let's just go home, okay?"

I whirled at her, "Bella, you don't know what you're talking about."

"Then tell me! Please! Just tell me what's going on. You can trust me."

I knew that. It was me that I couldn't trust. "I'm sorry, Bella." I turned and kept walking.

"No!" she moved to grab my arm, and I swung it out of the way. Naturally, she lost her balance and tripped—into me. My hands locked on her arms.

"Please," she whispered, breathing right into my face.

I gulped and looked away. "Bella, I trust you inexorably. It is not that. But I'm dangerous Bella, I'm _dangerous_, and Jasper is too, and—"

"Your… Your brother is trying to kill me?" she asked.

"Yes, I made a mistake, and—"

"A mistake? You mean when you saved my life?"

"Yes, I—"

"So you regret it?"

"No, I mean—"

"Honestly, Edward, I don't know why you even bother."

"I, Bella—" How infuriating! "—I told you, Bella. _I don't want you to die_."

She glared back for a moment. She must have seen something in my eyes, however, because her eyes melted.

"Is that such a difficult thing to prevent, Edward?" The words came out without irony. They were gentle, and I realized that the girl knew much, much more than I had realized.

I searched her eyes for fear, shock, anything normal to a human, but all I found was the warm trust that ached almost as much as her scent.

"Unimaginably so." I winced as the words came out, but I could not deny it.

Her eyes searched mine, then she nodded. "Okay, what can I do to help?"

"What can you do to help?" I asked the sky. I laughed blackly, and ran my hands through my hair. Isn't it obvious that I have no idea what I'm doing?

My mind ran through the options again.

First, run with her in my arms. I tried that, and almost killed her.

Second, leave her, steal a car, and come back for her. During which time, Jasper would find her and kill her.

Third, walk with her behind me and hope we get to a car before Jasper gets to us.

It all seemed so pointless. A fourth option spun ironically into my head—just wait here for Jasper. I laughed.

Could Bella help with any of these?

"Yes! I mean, if I'm going to die, don't I at least get a say in how it happens?"

"You're not going to die, Bella," I forced out through gritted teeth. Damn, I was out of breath again.

"I'm not an idiot, Edward," she retorted through gritted teeth. "Just tell me what's going on!"

She winced, and I realized I was hurting her again. I hadn't even realized that my hands were still on her shoulders. I winced, too, letting my arms drop to my side.

I shook my head. She opened her mouth, ready to retort.

For the second time, I held up a finger. _Wait. _

The ground could not hold me back last time. What would prevent me from hurting her this time? The hunger was so much stronger now. I looked at her frail figure—just silk over glass—and I realized that the only thing stronger than my hunger was my desire to protect her.

Slowly, warning her with my eyes, I lifted my hands and molded them to her jawline. So close to her neck, I felt my hands throbbing.

I closed my eyes.

I opened my eyes, and I took a deep breath.

Every muscle in my body contracted. With her face so close to mine, I breathed in air that was one hundred percent Bella. My hands fell from her face, and I stumbled back. _Run, Bella, run_.

"Edward!" The girl stepped forward.

I couldn't stop myself. I could only see it happening. The girl, the only girl in the world, stumbled right into the predator's grasp. It was hunched over, head at shoulder level, its hands like a vise on the girl's shoulders. It leaned in—

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

It—me—I laughed darkly. "Sorry?" I spat out. "Why in the world should you be sorry?" I was a maniac. "I'm sorry, Bella. Okay? _I'm sorry! _I tried to save you! I tried! I can't! I can't do this anymore. I can't save you. I keep trying and it is _hell_ and _God_ what did I just do? What am I _doing_?

"I'm not like this, I swear. I never was. I have impeccable control. I was second best—Carlisle is better, but I'm good, Bella, I swear I am. I'm not like this. _I don't want to kill you_." Panting, dangerously out of control, and now the words were out there. Bella could no longer guess at it.

_Edward Cullen is a monster_.

Her pulse raced. To be honest, I was amazed that she was still alive. I was gasping for air, not that I needed it, but I couldn't stop. My hands shook and my head was spinning.

Silk skin brushed against my hand, trembling. Bella looked up from our hands, and whispered, "You can do it, Edward."

She must have meant it as encouragement, a vote of confidence that I wouldn't kill her, but it sounded almost like… permission to go ahead.

"No, I can't. I won't."


	2. Kidnapped (Bella)

_My rage dulled a bit with the sudden, black humor. I could imagine how the girl would react to my kidnapping her. Of course, I rarely guessed her reactions right—but what other reaction could she have besides terror?_

_I wasn't sure how to manage that, though—kidnapping her. I wouldn't be able to stand being close to her for very long. Perhaps I would just deliver her back to her mother. Even that much would be fraught with danger. For her._

_And also for me, I realized suddenly. If I were to kill her by accident… I wasn't certain exactly how much pain that would cause me, but I knew it would be multifaceted and intense. _

In my dream it was very dark, and what dim light there was seemed to be radiating from Edward's skin. I couldn't see his face, just his back as he walked away from me, leaving me in the blackness. No matter how fast I ran, I couldn't catch up to him; no matter how loud I called, he never turned. Troubled, I woke in the middle of the night. I kept my eyes closed, trying to finish the dream the way I wanted it—for him to turn around. Even in my imagination, he wouldn't.

_No,_ I pled with dream-Edward. _Please stay. _

As if in response, my dream suddenly became very real and very cold. Dream-Edward put his hand over my mouth and picked me up with the other arm?

Gooseflesh rose on my arms. There was a sudden, fierce wind, that I suspected was not wind. I was tempted to look around, but I couldn't look away from dream-Edward. After the pain of watching him walk away, the relief I felt to be in his arms was palpable.

Still, this was dream-Edward we were talking about. Although I could now see his face, the theme was entirely the same. For what felt like an eternity, I stared at him, and he stared ahead—entirely unaware of my presence.

I longed to reach out to him, but I could not. I knew that if I reached out, the spell would be broke, and I would wake up. Even with the pain of his negligence was worthwhile for to just be with him.

Over time, however, it began to dawn on me that I was not dreaming. First, my bladder was uncomfortably full. Second, I began to realize how strangely my back was arched in his arms.

When he glanced down at me, the spell was broken. This was not dream-Edward.

This Edward was real.

.

.

.

While it was originally exciting to realize that we weren't dreaming, I began to realize that reality came with a couple caveats. First, my back ached from the strange position I was in. Second, the cold air wasfrigid and whipped at my skin. Third, holy _crow_ was I about to pee my pants.

Without any apparent impetus or humor, Edward laughed. _Did I actually pee my pants? _I thought, horrified, trying to evaluate if my panties felt wet or not.

I kept my eyes on Edward but he was not looking at me. He was looking at the stars. He seemed sad.

"Ouch, Edward," I gasped. I winced as his grip on my wrist tightened.

I could feel him looking at my wrist, and for the first time that evening—morning?—I felt afraid. I did not know what Edward was, but he was fast, strong, and evidently had a lot on his mind. I knew he would never intentionally hurt me—that much was obvious—but I realized he could very easily and very unintentionally harm me. _Why am I here?_

I was so disoriented that I almost didn't understand when Edward placed my feet on the soil. It was so bizarre—to see this godlike human glowing in the forest's night, crouched before me.

_Why didn't he stand up?_ I really understood nothing of his bizarre behavior, but I could see for the first time this night that he no longer seemed frightening or aloof. Rather, he seemed scared.

_He _was scared? I snorted, "What the hell?" which only made me laugh harder because, let's be honest, this stupid dream has been its own hell. My unintentional pun got me laughing because, I realized, things haven't been normal since Tyler's van almost squished me. What if Tyler Crowley's van _had actually _hit me, and now I was dead? Is this what hell is like? It didn't seem so bad if I got to have Edward with me.

"Stop that." I swatted at his hands which anxiously fluttered at me to make sure I'm okay.

He dropped his hands, but he just kept staring at me.

It made me babbly. "I'm fine, really, just a little surprised. What brought this on?"

"You're in danger from some people, and I need to keep you safe. I'm sorry for hurting your wrist."

"Oh, that," I muttered, absent-mindedly looking at the five little bruises which blossomed above my elbow. .

"Yes, that," he retorted, wrapping the wrist in his ice cold grasp.

His touch shocked me, and then he was gone. What the…

Was he that upset about the wrist? "It's okay, really," I called out.

I heard him laugh again. The sound sent chills down my spine—they were not of the cheerful sort.

I could see him in the distance, now. I could see that he was walking toward me. I wanted to walk toward him, too, but I was frozen. The intensity in his gaze held me motionless. His gait did not seem like that of a human being.

No, I could see it now—Edward Cullen walked like a predator, and he was coming straight toward me.

If I were being honest with myself, here is the honest-to-goodness truth: I was terrified.

_Something about Edward Cullen is not human. _

Not just that but _that something is terrifying me. _

It was glorious, too, however. My mind flashed back to the day I'd first seen them, the Cullens walking into the school cafeteria. Of course, it seemed so obvious now. How had I described them? _Inhuman. _

I stared into his black eyes. He held out his index finger, mouthing something at me. Honestly, I have no idea what he said, but I recognized the finger as "wait."

As if I could do anything else, anyways. I was hypnotized by him, watching with horror as he crouched once more to the floor. He spread out his palms on the ground, and then he took a deep breath in.

A loud _bang!_ sounded as Edward Cullen shoved his arms into the ground, his eyes rolling back in his head.

"_Edward! Are you in pain?" _I longed to speak, but my throat was broken.

Slowly, so as to avoid startling him, I drew one foot in front of me.

"No, Bella," His voice was so soft, I couldn't be sure of it. .

Gauging his reaction, I slowly prompted, "So someone wants to kill me, huh?"

"Yes, but I won't let him." _Who? Him? Why? Why me? _

I snorted. "Why not?" I mean he obviously wasn't too pleased about saving me from that dumb van.

This was evidently the wrong thing to say. His eyes burned with hatred, and I wanted to shrink back. My heart was pounding.

"I don't want you to die, Bella."

Literally nothing Edward Cullen does or says makes any sense. To hate me so intensely, to save my life, to kidnap me, to hurt me—nothing added up. _I don't want you to die, Bella_, he said it with such intensity…

I wondered if the van was not the first time that my life was at stake around Edward Cullen.

_I peeked up at him one more time, and regretted it. He was glaring down at me again, his black eyes full of revulsion. As I flinched away from him, shrinking against my chair, the phrase _if looks could kill _suddenly ran through my mind._

_But Edward Cullen's back stiffened, and he turned slowly to glare at my – his face was absurdly handsome – with piercing, hate-filled eyes. For an instant, I felt a thrill of genuine fear, raising the hair on my arms. _

_I couldn't fathom his interest, but he continued to stare at me with penetrating eyes, as if my dull life's story was somehow vitally important. _

_I stared because their faces, so different, so similar, were all devastatingly, inhumanly beautiful. _

"_Was that the boy I sat next to in Biology?" – "Yes, he looked like he was in pain or something."_

_I was relieved that I had the desk to myself, that Edward was absent. I told myself that repeatedly. But I couldn't get rid of the nagging suspicion that I was the reason he wasn't there. _

_He'd seemed engrossed in our conversation, but now I could see, from the corner of my eye, that he was leaning away from me again, his hands gripping the edge of the table with unmistakable tension._

_And I was suspicious of him; why should he lie about his eyes?_

_But more clearly than all the yelling, I could hear Edward Cullen's low, frantic voice in my ear. "Bella? Are you alright?"_

"_Bella, I was standing with you, and I pulled you out of the way." He unleashed the full, devastating power of his eyes on me, as if trying to communicate something crucial. _

_Oh_, I thought, and the pieces suddenly fell together.

It seemed so obvious now.

Edward Cullen did not hate me, nor was he bipolar.

No, Edward Cullen was dangerous.

_"I don't want you to die, Bella." _

I felt crazy for saying it, but it was also crazy that I was stranded in the forest this man. It's crazy but I was now convinced. Whatever Edward Cullen was, it wanted to kill me.

Everything I'd seen in the past couple weeks shifted sideways, and I saw the huge effort with which Edward, the human side, tried to keep me alive. It was so difficult for him, and it was difficult for him now.

I could not afford to fear him now, I realized. He was already afraid enough for the two of us. No, what he needed was my confidence and support.

I'll be honest that it wasn't easy to give. Edward Cullen was terrifying. He walked like the leopards Phil watches on Nature Planet. A predator, tightly wound. I realized if Edward Cullen were to attack me, it would be quick- so quick that I may not even see it coming.

It was silly, but the thought gave me a lot of comfort. He didn't want me to die, and I heard the implicit implication behind it: "I don't want to hurt you." No, if Edward Cullen killed me, it would not be intentional, and I honestly had no idea how he would do it, but I believed he would try to make it painless.

"So what now, then?"

With my acceptance of the fact that Edward Cullen was indeed not entirely human, and that he was not entirely safe, I began to wonder what exactly he might be.

You would think my mind would run to alien conspiracy theories, or at least werewolves or vampire kind of stuff, but all I could think of was the way he stalked toward me.

It seemed silly to me now to even suppose that Edward Cullen would be any variation of something on TV. The only thing on TV even close to what I've seen today _Predator Versus Prey_ on the nature channel. He was the lion, of course, and I wasn't even graceful enough to be considered a gazelle.

Edward blinked and asked, "Can you walk?"

I nodded blindly.

Without saying a word, Edward Cullen walked away from me.

.

.

.

I did my best to follow. He moved so quickly, I was so tired, and I still really needed to urinate. I stumbled often, and I was constantly out of breath. It was an ironic and painful reminder of my dream the night before. I couldn't take it.

"Edward, can we talk about this?" _Please respond, please respond, please respond. _

"What do you want to talk about?" His voice snapped like a whip.

I snapped in response. "We're in the middle of nowhere! How long are you thinking of making us walk for? And why? It's not like someone could find us here in the middle of nowhere! Besides, who is putting us in danger? I'm a nobody! I'm sure it's fine. Let's just go home, okay?" It was all I could do to keep from shouting.

"Bella, you don't know what you're talking about."

How _infuriating! _I could no longer refrain from shouting.

"Then tell me! Please! Just tell me what's going on." I took a deep breath. "You can trust me."

He winced, as if I'd insulted him.

"I'm sorry, Bella." He turned to walk away again.

"No!" My jump to grab his arm was not intentional; it was instinctive. Even with how dangerous I knew he was, I couldn't bear to have him walk away from me again.

Unfortunately, he swung his arm out of my grasp just before I touched him. Fortunately, although the gesture knocked me off balance, Edward didn't let me fall.

"Please," I whispered. I hated it. I felt weak and stupid and pathetic, but I couldn't bring myself to care anymore. I was exhausted and scared, and I didn't want to be in the dark anymore.

He looked away from me, and I took advantage of the opportunity to breathe and think straight.

"Bella, I trust you inexorably. It is not that." I rolled my eyes. "But I'm dangerous Bella, I'm _dangerous_, and Jasper is too, and—"

That was unexpected. _Jasper?_ But… Why?

"Your… Your brother is trying to kill me?"

"Yes, I made a mistake, and—"

_Mistake?_ "You mean when you saved my life?"

"Yes, I—"

"So you regret it?" I can't keep up with this man.

"No, I mean—"

"_Honestly_, Edward, I don't know why you even bother."

"I, Bella—I told you." My eyes narrowed. Done. I was one hundred and fifty percent done with this conversation. "Bella, _I don't want you to die_."

His eyes searched mine, and I realized he was pleading with me. What an ironic duo—this predator pleading with his prey. Still, I didn't understand what he was pleading for.

"Is that such a difficult thing to prevent, Edward?" _Tell me, Edward. Explain it to me. Help me understand. I can help, I know I can_.

He winced. "Unimaginably so."

_In what way? Why? _I wanted to shout. Instead, I nodded and asked, "Okay, what can I do to help?"

"What can you do to help?" I think he asked God. His laughter was a little unhinged, though, so maybe he was asking Satan.

Not for the first time, I wondered idly just what Edward Cullen was.

He laughed again, his hands very tight on my arms. I breathed through the pain.

"Yes! I mean, if I'm going to die, don't I at least get a say in how it happens?"

"You're not going to die, Bella." Yet with his tone of voice and tight hold on my upper arm you'd think he'd said, _You're going to die, Bella_.

"I'm not an idiot, Edward. Just tell me what's going on!"

He let go of my forearms, and he looked like he was in pain. Shaking his head, he lifted his index finger for the second time. _Wait. _But this time, he did not crouch to the ground.

No, he was close enough to feel my breath, and I realized that I could not feel his. Edward Cullen did not breathe.

I hyperventilated as the frozen man lifted his hands and cupped my face. His eyes bore into mine, and I could not move. I was a deer stuck in headlights.

He opened his mouth, and took a quick breath in.

Edward fell, and I couldn't help it.

"Edward," I gasped, stepping forward to right him.

But I don't think it was Edward anymore. The man was crouched over like Lupin in Harry Potter, his hands choking as they contracted in the spot just between my shoulders and neck. His eyes were not fixed on mine anymore—they stared blankly into something I could not see.

I wanted to cry not for myself but for the poor boy who I had done this to. I suddenly understood the hatred and vitrol directed at me those first few days. Who was I to turn this sweet, gentle boy into this terrifying monster?

"I'm sorry." I could not get out more than a whisper.

It—I refused to think of it as Edward—laughed. "Sorry? Why in the world should you be sorry?" It laughed again. "I'm sorry, Bella. Okay? _I'm sorry! _I tried to save you! I tried! I can't! I can't do this anymore. I can't save you. I keep trying and it is _hell_ and _God_ what did I just do? What am I _doing_?

"I'm not like this, I swear. I never was. I have impeccable control. I was second best—Carlisle is better, but I'm good, Bella, I swear I am. I'm not like this. _I don't want to kill you_."

I couldn't even worry about myself anymore. All I could do was care about and try to help this poor beast-child-man to overcome this. His breath flew in and out even faster than my own, and I wondered if his body was capable of fainting.

Hand trembling, I lifted my hand to hold his own. "You can do it, Edward," I whispered, not sure what I was giving him permission to do. How calmly could I discuss my own death!

"No, I can't. I won't."


	3. AN: Story Time?

**A/N: ** **Wow! I am so pleasantly flabbergasted at the positive feedback I've received for this drabble! I didn't realize there were still so many Twihards here on FF. I feel so touched. X'D ** **Given the positive feedback and the fact that I keep revisiting this concept, I've decided to continue to explore this concept. What originally began as an exploratory drabble is now on its path to becoming a full-fledged story! I just wanted to give you a heads-up that I'll be breaking up these chapters and deleting some content before re-vamping and publishing. Please DM me or comment with any feedback you might have! **

**Love, **

**nat**


	4. Bonus Blurb: Jasper Round 1

**A/N: **As some of you have already guessed, Alice and Jasper play a pretty involved role in this story! As such, I've been practicing a bit with their characters in preparation for understanding how they'll react to some upcoming ... happenings. Anyways, I figured I would share this content with you, my lovely readers! So here is round one - a JPOV of basically the only time we see Jasper wholly participating in a conversation.

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**Extra: Jasper Study (Round One)**

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_Chapter 12_

_._

I didn't particularly enjoy the spotlight, and I hesitated on how to proceed in the discussion. I read every face in the circle - for everyone had moved in to hear what I would say - and then my eyes caught Bella's deer-wide eyes.

"You're confused," I murmured, struck with a special string of empathy.

There was no question in my assumption, for I could feel exactly what the frail human was thinking. My mind revisited darker moments when my behavior caused Edward's mate far more distress than simple confusion.

"We're all confused," Emmett grumbled, interrupting my thoughts.

I rolled my eyes. "You can afford the time to be patient." I turned to Edward's human. "Bella should understand this, too. She's one of us now."

I sighed, knowing that I would probably be causing the girl more distress, now. "How much do you know about me, Bella?" _Please tell me she already knows, _I thought at Edward. _I'd rather not have another reason to be your girlfriend's worst nightmare. _

Edward minutely shook his head just as Bella murmured, "Not much."

Emmett continued making a spectacle of himself.

"No," Edward spoke his indication. "I'm sure you can understand why I haven't told her that story." I could understand why he thought it necessary - but I could never understand why Edward felt such an implicit draw to a creature he couldn't be fully transparent with. I imagine my gaze was slightly derisively skeptical. Edward continued, "But I suppose she needs to hear it now."

Not quite ready to speak the words, I nodded slowly and rolled up the sleeve to my arm. I held out my arm to Bella, bringing my scar under the direct influence of the lamp's golden light. I cringed as recognition dawned on Bella's face.

"Oh," her warm breath hit my skin, and I flinched. "Jasper, you have a scar exactly like mine."

To live in a world where a scar such as this was an anomaly. _To sleep, perhaps to dream_. "I have a _lot _of scars like yours, Bella."

With the sick smile still haunting my expression, I pushed my sleeve further up my arm. I hid my gaze in the textures of the carpets, unable to look at Bella as she asked:

"Jasper, what _happened _to you?"

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_Chapter 13 _

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My pause was short enough for the girl to not notice, but I felt the rush of concern as my family waited for me to respond.

I took a deep breath, and Bella's enthralling scent was another cruel reminder of the truth of my words. "I didn't have quite the same … upbringing as my adopted siblings here. My beginning was something _else_ entirely.

"Before I tell you my story, you must understand that there are places in our world, Bella, where the life span of the never-aging is measured in weeks, not centuries.

"To really understand why, you have to look at the world from a different perspective. You have to imagine the way it looks to the powerful, the greedy… the perpetually thirsty." I shuddered. "You see, there are places in this world that are more desirable to use than others. Places where we can be less restrained, and still avoid detection. Picture, for instance, a map of the western hemisphere. Picture on it every human life as a small red dot."

I returned my gaze to Bella. "The thicker the red, the more easily we - well, those who exist this way - can feed without attracting notice. Not that the covens in the South care much for what the humans notice or do not. It's the Volturi that keep them in check."

I could feel the silent gazes of both Edward and Bella. I gave Edward a cautionary glance and dove into the tale.

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	5. (Spinoff Episode)(Teaser Trailer)

_"__No," I stumbled backwards- one step, then two. The world was shaking, or maybe it was my head. _

_"__I can't." I dug my heels, twisting, while a part of me was still longing to break that silk skin. "I won't." _

_Like the coward I was, I turned and fled the girl in the woods._

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_._

Had I been thinking lucidly, I would have immediately recognized the pure idiocy of my hapless and hasty act. In the moment, however, I was in no fraction a man - in that moment, I was an animal, a stricken one with fire in its bones, needles in its joints, and a thick, dry, suffocating syrup coating its entire olfactory system.

This animal was in pain and ready to strike out. It wove between and around trees, making sport of millimeters.

It wasn't until I caught a glint of gold flash through the haze of trees that I realized I was hunting. Hunting not an animal - nor a human - but a creature like unto myself.

Vampire.

My brother, to be precise.

My body acted out of pure instinct as it launched itself at the moving target.

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Our bodies sounded nature's strangest anomaly - thunder on the driest night. Another stream of blonde whirred past us and I roared. I took off after the second threat, weaving to avoid Jasper's countless attempts.

_They were after my prey_.

I was livid, unchained, dangerous. My feet wove an alternate path to circumvent the competitor. The girl was mine; no threat would be left standing.

The vampire fighting me now was a different one - less skilled, but stronger. Easily dismantled. Vague shouts of indistinct meanings echoed in the back of my consciousness.

I turned to the girl. Laughter echoed through the trees. How thrilling to feel so free! So unburdened - for all the worries which had so tightly encircled me fell loose. I would need hold back no longer; no longer caught in the thralls of protecting the girl. No point in protecting a corpse.

_This is the way it is supposed to be. _

The doe-eyes frozen wide.

_Why did I fight what is so undeniably _right_?_

The screams enthralled me.

_Destiny. _

_-Gahh! _Again? This time, something launched itself at _me. _It was warm.

_Edward. Edward! EDWARD._

_She _was warm.

_Don't do it! It will kill you, Edward! _

She was inside me, and I was warm for the first time in a century.

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_Despair_.

Despair knocked through me and coated the forest.

_Whose despair?_ The intensity of the emotion jarred me, and the sensation felt like waking up.

_Oh God. _The angry static of voices clarified into frantic coherency. _What have I done?_

I could feel the fragile body in my hands, but I found my conscious mind unwilling to reconcile with reality. The body was a dead weight in my hands.

I kept asking, but I didn't want to know.

_Oh God, what have I done?_

"Edward."

The voice was gentle, cautious. I recognized the voice, although I'd never heard the tone before.

Carlisle was afraid.

"It's okay, Edward."

What was Carlisle afraid of?

"Carlisle? What's going on?" I looked around. The others were there, too. "Alice? Emmett? Esme? Why - what's going on?"

_He's dissociating. He legitimately doesn't know what - _Carlisle switched direction mid-thought.

_Where do we go from here? _


	6. Attacked (Edward)

_**Previously on **__**Kidnapped**__**:**_

_Her pulse raced. To be honest, I was amazed that she was still alive. I was gasping for air, not that I needed it, but I couldn't stop. My hands shook and my head was spinning._

_Silk skin brushed against my hand, trembling. Bella looked up from our hands, and whispered, "You can do it, Edward."_

_She must have meant it as encouragement, a vote of confidence that I wouldn't kill her, but it sounded almost like… permission to go ahead. _

_"__No," I stumbled backwards- one step, then two. The world was shaking, or maybe it was my head. _

_"__I can't." I dug my heels, twisting, while a part of me was still longing to break that silk skin. "I won't." _

_Like the coward I was, I turned and fled the girl in the woods._

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Had I been thinking lucidly, I would have immediately recognized the pure idiocy of my hapless and hasty act. In the moment, however, I was in no fraction a man - in that moment, I was an animal, a stricken one with fire in its bones, needles in its joints, and a thick, dry, suffocating syrup coating its entire olfactory system.

This animal was in pain and ready to strike out. It wove between and around trees, making sport of millimeters.

I caught a glint of gold flashing through the haze of trees, and I realized I was hunting. Hunting not an animal - nor a human - but a creature like unto myself.

Vampire.

My brother, to be precise.

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Inspired by its newfound clarity, my body acted out of pure instinct as it launched itself at the moving target. I wanted to believe I acted out of a desire to protect the girl, but I knew I had resorted to one of nature's most primal inclinations - to strike out when struck.

With such pain at both the scent of the girl and the knowledge of being unable to protect her, I was filled with rabid animal agony. I was ready to stop any responsible party from ever making me feel this way again.

Our bodies made contact, and they sounded nature's strangest anomaly: thunder on the driest night. We grappled for a moment, and I navigated to the upper hand. I would have delivered the ending blow were it not for another stream of blonde whirring past us in that moment. I roared.

I took off after the second threat, weaving to avoid Jasper's countless attempts, realizing the gravity of my opponents' intended destination.

They were after my prey.

I was livid, unchained, dangerous. My feet wove an alternate path to circumvent the creatures. The girl was mine; no threat would be left standing.

The vampire fighting me now was a different one - less skilled, but stronger. Easily disengaged. Vague shouts of indistinct meanings echoed in the back of my consciousness. Laughter echoed through the trees. How thrilling to feel so free!

A wide grin spanned my face. So _unburdened_ \- all the worries which had so tightly encircled me fell loose, heavy chains fallen to the ground. I would need hold back no longer; no longer caught in the thralls of protecting the girl.

_No purpose in protecting a cadaver,_ I thought sardonically.

I was facing the girl from behind now; how strange, she didn't seem startled or jarred in the least. The old flame of curiosity burned into me - almost enough to break through and reach consciousness.

Almost, but not quite. I let out a cavernous roar and sprang toward the girl in a movement far quicker than her gasping attempt to turn to face me.

My hands, arched like fierce talons, brushed her chin as an unknown force plucked me from the air. I fought back - one, two, three - of them, growling in a timbre that shook the forest. The salt-sweet bouquet of her blood rushed up to meet me, my roars evermore wild and ferocious._ Who dared spill her blood? It was _mine_. I would rip them apart for this!_

I struggled wildly against my captors. My roars mixed with incoherent shouts. I had been waiting _so long_. Would I never be freed?

_"Edward."_

The heady combination of thoughts, cries, and whispers rushed up to assault my consciousness yet still I fought the bondage of my brothers and sisters. With the single, simple murmured word of an angel, cognizance crashed into my being, yet I was still a roaring lunatic, entirely out of control.

Ten yards from me was an angel who had fallen to her knees. Doe-eyes froze wide. Forehead crumpled. Mirroring the angel was a perfect devil - roaring, wild-eyed, clawing desperately for the freedom to destroy her. My roars doubled as the agony of my cognizance ripped through me.

Or I liked to think that was the reason for the increased fervor of my cries. I realized, however, that there was a physical stimulus. Still unable to fully regain my faculties, I found my eyes inspecting the girl more carefully yet even as I fought to take her. There it was. On her neck, a small incision bled profusely. Had I been growling? Now, a splitting _keening_ poured out from me. The girl was bleeding from the laceration she'd received at _my_ hand. Nausea crippled me. I felt my resistance drop a notch as I looked down at my own hand to find her blood on my skin.

Red and white. Crimson and wool. Scarlet and snow. All the Biblical verses in the world could not save me now. I held out my hand before my eyes, and softly flexed the fingers, seeing the blood glisten and slide along the marble phalange.

These stains would never be wiped clean. I raised my eyes slowly to the girl once more.

_"Edward,"_ she whispered again softly. She stumbled forward.

I tensed and shrunk from her.

"Let him go." Her low voice was inconceivably stable. "He's better now," but her voice cracked on the last word.

I winced. "Bella," I mouthed and shook my head.

_No._ I struggled against them as they began to take me away. _What about the girl? Jasper? Were they going to kill her?_

"No. Bella." I whispered, reaching out a pathetic arm. Vampires couldn't get tired, right? Why did I feel so weak?

Her blood glistened across my extended phalange, and I shuddered once more. I had been so very close to...

In a manner not dissimilar to that of a psychopath, I barked a rabid laugh through pursed lips as my thoughts flitted back to the musings of a more innocent Edward. _I wasn't sure how to manage that, though—kidnapping her. I wouldn't be able to stand being close to her for very long, _I'd thought.

Ding, ding, ding! Lottery bells rang in my mind.

Congratulations, Edward. Right on the money.


	7. Discovered

**A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you are all being safe and finding emotional and social outlets during the era of social distancing! Please let me know what you think of this chapter and what you think will happen next! I love hearing all the musings. 8D**

A leaf on the oak tree was twisted. It winded about itself like a ballerina mid-afternoon. Something about the image was beautiful; something about it was disturbing. My blurred vision fixed on this single point as my mind whirred.

My mind also fixed on a single point. "_No. I can't. I won't," Edward barked out angrily. Then he was gone. He left me._

Left me alone and unprotected in this godforsaken forest. In this forest wherein lurked at least one _something_ intent on killing me. I shuddered.

As if on cue, a deep roar cut through the foliage, and I jumped. It sounded like a tiger, but I swear it had a very...human feeling to it. That sound... it couldn't possibly be human, could it?

Well, I guess _human_ was a questionable choice of word given recent happenings. Rephrase: That sound...it couldn't possibly be Edward, could it? Or... Jasper?

I shuddered again.

A large bolt of thunder sounded, and I jumped. I laughed at myself. Was I going to argue that _the thunder_ was Jasper's doing as well?

_Boom_! Another clap of thunder, and it was getting closer. I idly wondered if I would get struck.

Ironically, I _was _struck, but it wasn't the _thunder_ that struck me.

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The sheer volume of the roars were overpowering, totally incapacitating. But they came from behind me. Then I was struck - my head whipped whipped with the force. My thoughts became incoherent as I stood face to face with the beast that was Edward Cullen.

I gasped and stumbled backward.

His sharp white teeth were snapping viciously, like a dog held back by a leash.

_I guess this is how I go_, I thought idly, squeezing my eyes shut. _Not with a bang but a whimper._

My pulse roared in my ears and a white static seemed to fill the air. My neck felt oddly moist, even sticker than the rest of my skin in the frigid, humid night. I could feel the hot blood gushing.

In a moment, the ghastly sounds mutated into something that directly ripped my heart out. I opened my eyes to realize that the leash analogy wasn't totally inaccurate - Carlisle and Emmett were Edward's leashing, holding him back as he struggled to break free.

"_Edward_," I found myself murmuring, stumbling toward him. Although a part of my mind was screaming, _He's going to kill you! He's trying to kill you! _The other part rationalized that he didn't _want _to.

_I'm not like this, I swear_, he'd said. I felt a sharp pang of guilt. _I _did this to him.

He cowered at my approach, going limp in their arms.

"Let him go." I felt myself sway. "He's better now."

Edward mouthed something, shook his head, and seemed to try again, his whole body trembling.

They dragged him away - he fought feebly. "No, _Bella!_" I barely caught the words, and they were gone.

I found myself, once more, stranded in the foliage of Forks, Washington - although now that I thought of it, who knew how fast Edward had run, where the heck we were now. I sure didn't.

I recalled the sticky moistness of the air, sighed a breath of relief, and chuckled to myself. _The coast. _Funny how that simple realization relaxed me, grounded me, coaxed into an optimism entirely unfit for the situation. The ocean always seemed to offer me a sense of security.

"Hi there!" A voice cut into the silence, ringing with an eerie cheer entirely unsuited for my predicament. I jumped.

A small girl-woman popped out of the trees. _A woodland fairy,_ I thought with dismay as I struggled to process the petite, ephemeral figure which danced into my line of vision. My eyes focused and I recognized the girl as Edward's sister, Alice.

_Jasper's girlfriend? _I gasped with terror and stumbled backward, my hand instinctively flying to my neck. My hand struck the sticky skin, and I flinched.

Alice gasped as well. "You're bleeding," she said. "How did they...?"

"You're _bleeding_, Bella," she said again, gesturing to her own neck with one hand, pinching the bridge of her nose with the other. "This is _so_ complicated."

"How did you...?" I asked, swaying more significantly now.

She sighed. I tried to focus through the haze of nausea that struck me.

"Really, Bella, things would have been fine if _Edward-_"

The world was spinning. I was hanging on,

I inhaled deeply, trying to make it through the conversation with whatever this girl was.

The copper twang in the air intensified and I couldn't fight it anymore. Reality rushed toward me - and so did the forest floor.

_"Bella!"_

I heard a shout and saw Alice's face at an odd angle, and then the world went black.

**A/N: Bleeding, fainting, defending Edward when he is threatening her life... ****Classic Bella, huh? ****Let me know what you think! (I'm so excited about what happens next!) RxR pweez**


	8. Soothed

**A/N: Hi guy! I hope quarantine is going okay for you... Here is another chapter of _Kidnapped_ to hopefully help you stave off the boredom. **

I came to in a hotel room. I woke with a shock, shooting out of bed in the dark room. My funny bone hit a bedside table, and I howled. The sound of my own voice brought me back to when I heard it last:

"_Let him go. He's better now."_

"Edward," I whispered in the dark, and a shiver ran through me.

_Edward's face lunging at me, snarling. His teeth bared and snapping even as he claws at my neck. His fingers break my skin and I should respond to it, but I can't. I'm paralyzed. _

Something knocked on the door. I yelped.

"Bella?" I heard that fae-like twinkle once more. Alice?

I heard an electronic "click," followed by a thin stream of light. A halo of black hair appeared as alicey peeked in.

"Hi." I blushed when my voice cracked.

"Are you alright? I heard you scream."

My blush deepened. I'd screamed? How embarrassing.

"It's okay, Bella," she said softly. "I'd probably scream, too, if it were me."

I couldn't see her expression, but I imagined it was something like pity.

I cringed, unsure of how to respond. I glanced around the (dimly lit) room. "What time is it?" I asked.

It was still dark, only artificial light pouring in. But it couldn't possibly still be night? I started to retrace the past couple hours but then thought better of it at the memory of sharp, glaring teeth.

"Where?" Alice retorted.

I looked at her dumbly, not comprehending. "I mean, when?"

"No, Bella, where." She shook her head. I felt stupid and a little miffed. She continued, "We're not in Washington, Bella, so the answer to your question would depend on the context of location."

_Not in Washington? _My mind ran the concept over and over, testing it on for size. It didn't fit.

"How in the heck did you get my body out of those woods?" I blurted the first question that came to mind, blushing at the insistence of my tone. "I mean, are you like Jasper and Edward then?"

She sighed. "Bella, what do you think Jasper and Edward _are_?" She paused, and I hesitated.

She cocked her head. "Actually, don't answer that. I don't want to know. Yes, Bella, I am like them. Yes, that means I am so extraordinarily strong."

She cracked the door open wider, enhancing a halo around her head.

"No, Bella, that does not mean I am going to try to kill you." She smiled. "In fact, _no one _is going to try to kill you. You're safe now!"

She said it like I just won the lottery. "Thanks, Alice," I managed weakly.

"Of course, Bella!" She stood there awkwardly, as if waiting for me to say something.

I said something. "Alice, _why_ did they want to kill me?" Attempting to sound neutral, but I think it just came across as very pathetic.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Alice whispered. She paused. "Edward never wanted to kill you."

"He tried to-"

"He didn't _want _to, Bella."

I couldn't help but voice my theory. "He couldn't help it, could he, Alice?" It was like something had _possessed_ him.

"No Bella, he couldn't. But that doesn't excuse anything. It doesn't make it okay." Her voice hardened as she spoke. "Don't worry, though. We'll protect you. You're safe. He can't hurt you now."

Her words whirred through my head and sounded oddly backwards. I thought he was supposed to be protecting me from them?

As if in response to my unspoken question, she said, "Things change, sometimes, Bella. People change." I tried to process her words but all I could see was a heartbroken man with sharp teeth and claw-like hands. Reality faded.

"_I'm good, Bella. I swear I am."_

"Now, try to sleep. I have a feeling you'll be able to fall asleep just fine." She began to close the door.

"_I'm not like this."_

"Oh, and Bella? It's nine o' clock." I swear I heard a whispered, "Sleep well!"

"_I don't _want _to kill you."_

Memories and fatigue swirled up to meet me and I fell back into oblivion.

**A/N: Bella and Edward are so sad rn u_u**

**Let me know what you think! Pls r&r uwu**


	9. Shattered

**A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for the delay but here is the next chapter of "Kidnapped." I really love this story & am excited about what is coming up! I always wanted to give a trigger warning for dark themes and suicidal ideation in this chapter. I also want to add in that I have personally dealt with suicidal ideation, and I don't want you to think I am promoting suicide. If anything, I hope this fic can help people realize that they can get through anything and that they are not a monster worthy of death even if it feels that way! Please feel free to reach out to me if you need someone to talk to. xoxo**

"Grghhhhaaaah!"

I threw another boulder into the shuddering rock cliff. The earth shook around me, and the precipice trembled. I wished it would fall and swallow me whole. I wished I could die by its impact. I wished I was mortal twice over. Mortality would mean I could die.

Mortal would mean I wouldn't need to kill.

Scraps of rock fell from the sky and landed in my open hands.

"Bella," I whispered, squeezing my hands into fists. The rocks pulverized in my hands. Sand fell through the cracks. I likewise squeezed my eyes, wishing to all heavens that I could cry, could sob, the way this poor unfortunate girl deserved.

Every muscle of my body tensed as I thought of the girl. While horrified at my behavior, I could feel _it _coming over me - the monster, my indefensible urge to suck her dry - and I shuddered. All I wanted was to protect her, but all my body wanted was something unthinkable.

I had washed myself in bleach, burned my clothes, but her blood couldn't leave me. It broke me. Nothing else drove me now. I could hardly keep down this nauseating animal blood. My throat ached unbearably, and the dull thud of her heartbeat wouldn't leave me alone. A relentless temptation, slowly breaking me down. Corroding me as easily as stone in my bare hand.

While my first return to Forks had been far from innocent, the intentions were not murder. No matter how I loathed to admit, I knew a second return to Forks would be purely of homicidal intent. I also knew my return to Forks was inevitable.

I slammed my fist against the stone wall and felt the cliffs cover me. I begged them to hold me back, but I knew nothing ever would.

_Bella Swan doesn't stand a chance. _

_She was already dead._

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.

.

A couple hours later, I stood at the telephone and waffled in indecision. To call Alice or to refrain? On one hand, I needed help - desperately. On the other hand, I couldn't afford - or rather, Bella Swan - couldn't afford for me to be given any clues.

I wondered what they'd done to her, my family. I saw enough from their minds that they'd decided to protect her. In fact, their determination to do so was strong and intense - surprisingly so. Jasper had switched in a moment from threatening the girl to defending her, and I had let him pull me away. It was the only thing to do - I let the peace pull me under.

The aftermath was anything but peaceful.

"_Kill me," I screamed. "KILL ME."_

_My eyes were wild but my thoughts were wilder._

"_Carlisle," I moaned, crawling toward him. "Please Carlisle." _

_He knelt beside me. _My son_, his thoughts a mess._

"_You did this to me, Carlisle, and now I'll kill her. I'll kill her, Carlisle, and it's unbearable."_

I did this_, he agreed. _

"_You did this, Carlisle. Please, please, _Father_. End this. End _me_. Save me - save _her."

Should I…? But Edward, she's your mate! Alice -

"_Edward, you can't ask him to-"_

"_Would you die for her, Carlisle? Would you die for Esme? Let me die for her, Carlisle. Let me die for her, please. I can't stand this anymore. I can't kill her. Don't let me kill her. Please, oh God, please, Carlisle. Save her. Don't let me kill her." _

_He reached for me, and I recoiled. _

_I already knew his answer. _

"_You did this to me," I moaned. "You killed her. Killing her will kill me, Carlisle. You know that. Please save her. Save her." _

_The effects of Jasper's emotional sedative was wearing off, and the pull to find her blood was growing frighteningly. My voice grew more urgent._

"_It's not like it was, Carlisle. It's not like it was before. I can't just _believe _my way out of this anymore. All I can smell is her blood. All I can taste is her scent. She's_ inside me, _Carlisle." _

"_Edward, you can't just ask him to-" _

_I turned on her. "Back off, Rosalie," I spat. Her bitter countenance contrasted with the angelic one haunting my vision, and I barely held back my retort. _Selfish_, is what Rosalie thought. _

She is pure and kind and everything you will never be_, _Rosalie_, I thought. _So how dare you accuse me of selfishness? If I die to save this girl's life, it will be the greatest act of my life.

_I shuddered, because, of course, it wouldn't really be saving the girl's life. Rather, the equation was simple - my life or hers. As long as I existed, I would hunt her. Her blood was an ache from my throat resonating through my bones, hollowing me out. I would not stop until she was inside me..._

Then I was reliving it - seeing her blood on my hands, the frantic grasp, and then the horror as I lifted my bloodied hand to my mouth. Despite all my inclinations, I started planning how I would find and capture the Swan girl. It shouldn't be hard - no doubt my family was guarding her. A simple glance into Emmett's mind would lay out the entirety of the plan as clearly as a blueprint -

But of course, Alice would see that coming. They would be ready for me. What would they do when I drew nearer to Forks? What would Alice do with this information? What were they willing to do to keep the girl alive?

And _why_?

It was the curiosity that broke me. I picked up the phone and dialed.

**"****Hello?"**

**A/N: There is is! Hope you liked it! Please make sure to subscribe and leave a review. I love to see what you are thinking and also learn how I can write better!**


	10. Scarred

**Previously, on ****_Kidnapped:_**** Edward kidnapped Bella to protect her but in the process almost kills her himself. He ends up running to face Jasper head on. However, hunting mode has activated Edward's basest instincts and so once he deflects Jasper - as well as a couple others - he comes back to Bella in full hunting mode. He pounces and - plot twist - it's Jasper and Carlisle that ****_prevent_**** Edward from killing Bella. They carry him away. Alice then takes Bella, who fainted, to a hotel room, where they talked about what happened before Bella fell back asleep.**

When I awoke the second time, the room filled with light as rays of sun snuck past window curtains.

I felt awed at the moment and moved to get up - when I did, however, the intense aching all over my body gave me a harsh return to reality.

Where am I? Why do I feel so... sticky?

My wandering eyes caught sight of the mirror, and I almost threw up. A dark maroon substance caked my neck, shirt, and face.

_No wonder I fainted_, I thought, shuffling to the bathroom, taking care to avoid looking in the mirror again. After turning on the shower, I stripped my clothes and got in.

Still shivering, I did my best to breathe deeply. To process.

The water streaming past me blurred my vision. Though the water was hot, I still felt cold: trembling and alone. The water blurring my vision carried some of my blood with it, and for a second I swear I saw those onyx eyes, glaring teeth, clawed fingers reaching for me -

I let out a sharp shriek before I could stop myself.

_Deep breaths, Bella. _I shook my head at myself, frustrated with my own jumpiness.

I tried closing my eyes to make the images disappear, but the darkness was even more terrifying.

I let out an exasperated sigh and slammed my fist down on the shower faucet. The water sputtered and then it was quiet.

Stepping out of the bathroom, I wrapped the towel around my body and then almost dropped it when I realized I wasn't alone.

Trembling, unable to get myself to move, I watched Alice Cullen watching me, unsure of how to respond.

She took a step toward me, and I couldn't help it - I screamed.

_What is wrong with me? _My legs gave out and I fell down. Alice rushed toward me as I crumpled to the floor. I flinched but she ignored it, gently squeezing my hand and running her hand along my face.

My face which was wet with tears.

"Oh, Bella, oh Bella, I'm so sorry." Alice's voice was just a murmur. "You can't imagine how horrible he feels. How much he wishes he could take it back."

_Yeah, I wish he could, too. _My whole body shook with the intensity of my tears. I didn't know how to respond to Alice.

"Alice, I'm - I'm naked," I blushed, holding my towel tighter, relieved at the change in topic.

Alice laughed. "It's okay, Bella! We're both girls here. Plus, we're going to be great friends." She smiled and gave me a conspiratorial wink.

I tried to smile back but I couldn't help it; I shuddered.

She frowned. "Sorry. I guess I didn't see - I mean, _imagine_ how this would all affect how you feel about me." She said "imagine" like it was an ironic word choice.

I couldn't help it - I felt bad. "I'm sorry, Alice. Please don't take it personally. I'm just - Edward was so -"

"Scary," Alice finished. "I know, Bella. I was scared, too. So scared he would hurt you."

"Alice, please don't take this the wrong way, but why do you care so much what happens to me? We've never spoken before, let alone become friends! This is all so unreal. And Edward - I was so shaken and I feel so bad. I made him like this, Alice, didn't I? I made him into some kind of monster, right?"

"Bella, please," she sighed. "What could you possibly have done? Breathed on him? Edward is his own entity and he is responsible for himself. He - oh!"

Alice gasped and her plastic bag fell to the floor. Then in the same moment she turned to look at me and her phone rang.

"It's for you," she whispered, passing me the phone.

**A/N: I hope you liked it! Also, was the little summary at the top helpful or just annoying?**


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